Taser Yer Tastebuds Tater Salad

Say goodbye to bland and boring with this spicy and delicious potato salad.

• 1 pound (450g) new potatoes (or other waxy potatoes)
• 1 chilli (or more!), either hot or mild depending on your tolerance for heat
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (fresh or bottled *without* preservatives)
• 1 or 2 cloves garlic, again depending on how spicy you want to make it!
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika, mild or hot, depending on... you know

Scrub potatoes well and cut into bite-sized chunks. Try to make the chunks more-or-less the same size so that they cook evenly.

In a medium-sized pot, add enough cold water to cover potatoes (you're not adding the potatoes yet, so just eyeball it). Bring water to a boil over high heat. Add about a tablespoon of salt to the water, then add potatoes and chilli. Cover pot, bring back to a gentle boil, then lower heat to keep water at a simmer. If you boil the potatoes vigorously, you risk ending up with mashed potatoes. Set the timer for 10 minutes, then make the dressing.

Mince the garlic finely. You can crush in a mortar and pestle if you like.

Measure olive oil into a mixing bowl.

Add lemon juice slowly to oil, whisking all the while with (you guessed it) a whisk to emulsify the dressing.

Add the minced garlic to the dressing and whisk.

Add paprika and whisk again.

Add salt and -- yes -- whisk.

By now, the timer should be about ready to go off. Check potatoes to see if they are done. Some people find it tricky to tell when potatoes have cooked just the right amount for potato salad, but once you've done it a few times, it's easy. Gently insert the tip of a sharp knife into one of the potato chunks. It should slide into the centre of the potato without having to push too hard. Our freshly dug potatoes only take 10 minutes to cook, but others may take longer. If they're not done, continue cooking at a gentle simmer and check frequently. When potatoes are cooked, drain and remove to a serving bowl.

When chilli is cool enough to handle, slice it in half.

Scrape seeds from chilli. The seeds are very hot, so if you are a glutton for punishment, you can leave them in. But don't say I didn't warn you.

The skin of a chilli should be removed, because once cooked its texture becomes rather like plastic. If you're using a thick-walled chilli (like a jalapeno), you can just peel the skin off. For thin-skinned chillies, place chilli halves skin side down on cutting board, then cut through the flesh with the blade of a knife and scrape the flesh away from the skin.

Chop the chilli flesh into small pieces.

Pour dressing over potatoes. Use a rubber spatula to get every bit of spicy goodness from the mixing bowl. Add chopped chillies.

Mix gently to avoid breaking up potatoes.

This potato salad can be served room temperature or cold. It's great for a picnic or barbecue. You may want to have a cold beverage handy if you've done something really insane like use habaneros. Hope you enjoy it!